Coil transfer mechanism



Aug. 13, 1957 J. K. WINGARD 2,302,586

COIL TRANSFER MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 26. 1954 INVENTOR JAMES K. WINGARD W I M, BY W *MM ATTORNEYS ,Aug. 13, 1957 J. K. WINGARD 2,802,586

COIL TRANSFER MECHANISM Filed Aug. 26. 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG 2 I INVENTOR JAMES *K. WINGARD BY Wy/x M ATTORNEYS J. K. WINGARD 2,802,586

COIL TRANSFER MECHANISM Aug. 13, 1957 Filed Aug. 26, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 76 INVENTOR JAMES K.WINGARD ATTORNEYS 48/L W BY t Aug. 13, 1957 J. K. WINGARD con. TRANSFER MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 26, 1954 FlG. 7

- INVENTOR. JAMES K. WINGARD AM ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,802,586 COIL TRANSFERMECHANISM Ohio, assignor to E. W. Bliss James K. Wingard, Salem,

a corporation of Delaware This invention relates in general to material handling machines andmore particularly to material handling machines of the type adapted to transfer coiled strip metal from a coiling machine to a place where it may be prepared for reworking, storing or the like.

In the art of rolling strip metal, it is common practice to deliver strip material from the last stand of rolls of a rolling mill to a coiling mechanism by means of which the material is coiled preparatory to shipment, storage, or subsequent reworking operations. A common type of coiling machine utilizes a set of three bending rollers pyramidally arrayed so that an apex roller nests between two base rollers. Strip metal is fed from the rolling mill between the nested and nesting rollers and is given a permanent set or bend whereby the strip coils or rolls upon itself in successive convolutions. The coil, as it is being formed, is supported by and turns in a cradle carried above the coiling machine. When the end of the strip passes between the bending rollers, the cradle may be rocked forwardly to eject the completed coil from the coiling machine onto the mill floor, platform, or the like.

Much of the strip material as delivered by rolling mills is rolled to a smooth and finely finished surface suitable for the production of automobile bodies, household appliances, and the like. If this high grade strip is not carefully handled, marring and scratching to any extent will materially reduce its value. With increasing demand by users of strip metal for better grades of finishes of metal directly from the mills, the above described and .so-called coil kickofif method of clearing a coiling machine of a coil is becoming less practical since this method oftentimes yields scratched, dented or otherwise damaged coils.

Accordingly, devices have been developed for removing coils from coiling machines which are less injurious to the coils. These devices are sometimes referred to as coil handling or coil transferring machines, and it is an object of the present invention 'to provide an improved coil transferring mechanism.

Other objects of the invention include provision of a coil transfer mechanism which is fully automatic in operation; provision of novel means for engaging and disengaging a coil; provision of safety devices which insure that a coil is safely secured prior to movement from the coiling machine and completely disengaged from the coil transferring mechanism after deposit and prior to further movement of the mechanism; the provision of safety means to insure that a predetermined coil receiving station is unobstructed at the time of deposit of a coil; the provision of means, in combination with a coiling machine, to open and close the bending rolls to clear the tail of a coil passing therethrough; the provision of means, in combination with a coil receiving conveyor, to index the conveyor as each succeeding coil is deposited thereon; and the provision of an improved control system which is simple, eflicient, easy to maintain and which renders complete loading and Patented Aug. 13,, 1957 ice 2 the mechanism fully automatic and foolproof through a unloading cycle. Other objects and advantages of the invention W111 become apparent as the description proceeds, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the invention disposed in cooperative relation with a coil on a coiling machine, and showing an endless conveyor positioned to receive the coil thereon, Figure 2 is a partially sectioned front elevational view of the coil transfer taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Figure 1, and illustrating the coil transfer arms, the

coil engaging spindles'carried by the coil transfer arms,

and the cam-shaft extending to the left of the rack and gear pivoting mechanism, t

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary partially sectioned side elevationalview of the coil transferring mecha- Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of-theelectrical and a pressure fluid circuits employed in a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that the coil transfer mechanism 10 is for purposes of illustration secured to an upcoiler 12, although it may be adapted to operate on any conventional coiling machine or on separate structural. support means (not shown). The upcoiler 12 has a base 14, which supports a pair of horizontally spaced side members 18 and 20 attached thereto, and is secured to a mill room floor or foundation 16. The side members 18 and 20 support a pair of pinch rollers 22 and 24 (see Figure 1) extending therebetween, the end portions of which are journaled in said side members. The end portions of a set of three bending rollers 26, 28, and 30 are also journaled in opposite side members 18 and 26 to the left of the pinch rollers 22 and 24. A coil cradle 32 is secured to the top portions of the side members 18 and 2% to support a coil C while it is being formed by the bending rollers 26, 28, and 30. As a strip of steel leaves the rolling mill (not shown), it is gripped by the pinch rollers 22 and 24 and fed between apex roller 26 and the base rollers 28 and 30 which impart a permanent set or bend to the strip metal causing it to curve upwardly and rearwardly until it contacts the cradle 32, whereupon it is guided into a loop and caused to coil on itself in successive convolutions.

After the coilC has been formed, the coil transfer mechanism 10 engages the coil and swings it through an arcuate overhead path 34 (see Figure 1), as shown by the coil in outline in various positions along this path, until it is deposited on a truck, platform, conveyor, or disposed of in any other suitable means. As shown in Figure 1, the coil is deposited on an endless conveyor 38 which is indexed forward as each sucessive coil C is deposited thereon.

A pair of bearings 40 and 42 (see Figure 2) are secured by threaded fasteners, such as bolts 41, to the forward surfaces 43 and 44 of side members 18 and 20 to journal therein a transversely extending shaft 46. A pair of coil transfer arms48 and 50 are keyed to the shaft 46 to pivot coiling machine 12. 1

may be used for locking the hand wheel therewith about a horizontal axis 52 transverse to the coiling machine. Although these arms 48 and 50 are keyed rigidly to the shaft 46 with respect to pivotal move ment about the aforesaid horizontal axis 52, they are provided with keyways 54 and 56 to slide transversely on shaft key 57 in keyway 59. This transverse movement of arms 48 and 50 on the shaft 46 is for the purpose of adjusting the space between'the arms 48 and 50 in order to accommodate the width ofthe strip being coiled in the To accomplish this adjustment, a threaded shaft 58 is employed having left hand threads 68 .which threadedly engage arm 48 and right hand threads 62 which threadedly engage arm 50. A bracket 64 is rigidly secured to the center of shaft 46 and extends outwardly from the shaft to intersect the axis 66 of the threaded shaft 58. Threaded shaft 58 is journaled in bracket 64 and secured against lateral movement by collars 68 and 70 fastened to the shaft on each side of the bracket. A.hand wheel 72 is :fastened to the end 74 of threaded shaft 58 to provide a simple means of rotation, although an electric motor or any other suitable rotating means may be used. With this arrangement, it will be evidentthat rotation of threaded shaft 58 by means of hand wheel 72 willcause arms 48 and 50 to traverse along the shaft keywayv 59 inwardly or outwardly, depending whether the hand wheel 72 is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise. Once an adjustment of the arms 48 and 50 has been made with respect to the width 'of a coil C, any suitable means (not shown) 72 against further movement.

The upper or free ends 76 and 78 of the arms 48 and 58 are approximately U-shaped and adapted to house a pair of. spindles 8t) and 82 having longitudinalaxes 83 and 85 commonly aligned and paralleled to the horizontal axis 52 of shaft 46. The spindles 80 and 82 are opposed and inwardly directed, A pair of air cylinders 84 and 86 are secured to the ends of spindles 8t) and 82 respectively and are supported in sleeves 88and 90. The sleeves 88 and 90 are secured to the upper ends of leg portions 91 and 93 of the U-shaped free ends 76 and 78. Cylinder anchor piston rods 92 are fastened to legs 94 and 96 of ends 76 and 78 respectively and extend inwardly to engage the cylinders 84 and 86. The air cylinders 84 and 86 are adapted to extend the spindles 80 and 82 inwardly toward each other or to retract the spindles'in the reverse directions by double solenoid air valve 137 and (see Figure7).

In adjusting the coil transfer mechanism 18 to receive a completed coil, the arms 48 and 50 are cranked inwardly by clockwise rotation of hand wheel 72 until the spindles 80 and 82 in their retracted positions just clear the opposite edges 98 and 108 of the coil C. When the coil C is ready for removal from the coiling machine 12, the air cylinders 84 and 86 are energized to extend the spindles 80 and 82 inwardly into thecore of the coil where they are brought to bear against its inner surface 99 by forward pivotal movement of the arms 48 and 50. The forward movement of the arms, when continued, lifts the coil C from the cradle 32 and transports it to a coil 7 receiving conveyor 38.

The movement of the arms 48 and 50 through the aforesaid arcuate path 34 from coilingmachine 12 to the conveyor 38 is accomplished by a gear and rack mechanism (see Figures 2 and 3) comprising a gear 102 keyed at 183 to the. end 104 of. shaft 46, a rack 106 adapted to mesh with the gear 102, and a traversing hydraulic cylinder 108 secured to the lower end of the rack to impart reciprocable movement to the rack and gear. The gear engaging end of the rack 106 is maintained in meshed engagement with the gear 102 by means of a pair' of backup rollers 110 (see Figure 3) which are rotatably fastened to a mounting bracket 112. .Themounting bracket air pressure intake and exhaust connections 81 and 83 place, preferably at a a coil engaging 112 is fastened to the side member 18 adjacent its forward surface 43.

The hydraulic cylinder 108 is secured to the lower end 115 of the rack 106 by means of a piston rod 117 and the cylinder is supported by a ring 114 and trunnion tittings comprising side pins 116 which are journaled 1n brackets 118 for pivotal movement therein. The brackets 118 are welded or otherwise secured to the base 14 of the upcoiler 12, and a pit 120 is provided in the floor 16 to accommodate the lower end 122 of the cylinder 108.

A camshaft 124' (see Figure 6) is rigidly secured to shaft 46 and aligned on axis 52 so as to rotate at the same angular speed as the said shaft. A series of cams 126 are carried by the camshaft 124 to be rotated thereby, and are angularly adjusted with respect to each other so as toclose a series of limit switches 128 in a predetermined sequential order. A side arm 130 to the mounting bracket 112 extends horizontally to the left, and supports the series of limit switches 128 which are engaged by the aforesaid series of limit switches 128, which are engaged by the aforesaid series of cams 126.

Pairs of limit switches 134 and 136 (see Figures 2 and 4) are also carried by the U-shaped ends 76 and 78 of arms 48and 50, each pair being adapted to engage the outboard ends of spindles 80 and 82 respectively.

The operation of the transfer mechanism 10 is fully automatic and the purpose and function of the aforesaid limit switches to assist in automatic operation of the coil transfer mechanism will now be set forth in greater detail. To this end, reference is made to Figure 7'for a fuller understanding of the electrical and fluid pressure system which renders the invention fully automatic.

The start of a coil transfer cycle may be either manual or automatic and, if manual, the operator will initiate the coil unloading cycle by closing an appropriate switch (not shown). If the cycle is to be completely automatic, then some suitable means automatic must be employed to initiate the operation of the coil transfer mechanism.

A satisfactory manner for automatically beginning this cycle is by the use of photoelectric means 131 (see Figure 7) strategically located to indicate when the end or tail of the coil is approaching the coiling machine. This photoelectric means may be positioned in any convenient position intermediate. the rolling mill and the coiling machine (not shown), so that the passing ofthe end or tail of the coil thereover initiates means for closing a starting circuit.

More specifically, consider first the system electrically connected and operable but with no strip as yet being coiled in the coiling machine 12. As the leading edge of the strip passes beneath the photoelectric means 131, a conventionally employed light source 129 is interrupted whereby relay 139 is closed, relay 141 is opened and relay 143 is closed. When the trailing edge of the strip passes out from under the photoelectric means 131, relay 139 opens, relay 141 drops closed and relay 145 closes. The closing of relay 145 in turn closes relay 159Whi0h energizes a solenoid 149 of double solenoid air valve 137.

Air valve 137 actuates the air cylinders 84 and 86 causing them to move the spindles 80 and 82 inwardly into a position. As the spindles move inwardly, limit switches 134 on spindles 80 and 82 respectively are tripped and adjacent limit switches 136 are cocked. Limit switches 134 and 136 are permissive in operation in that it is necessary that limit switches 134 be tripped and limit switches 136 be cocked, therebyindicating that the spindles are fully home before the next operation of the cycle can take place. Permissive photoelectric means 146 (see Figure l) on conveyor 38 may also be tied into the starting'circuit of the transfer mechanism, as will be further explained hereinbelow, and prevents forward movement of arms 48 and 50 until a space is clear on the conveyor to receive the coil. When-the spindles 80 and '82 are fully home to engage" the coil'C, and if space is mately 190 clear on the conveyor 38, as determined by the conveyor photoelectric means 146, the tripping of limit switches 134 energizes solenoid 161 of the solenoid spring return hydraulic valve 147 to actuate hydraulic cylinder 108. Hydraulic cylinder 198 forces rack 1% upwardly to rotate gear 1132 which as aforesaid is keyed at 1113 (Figure 3) to the end 104 of shaft 46.

The rotation of shaft 46 pivots arms 48 and 5t) forwardly and at the same time rotates camshaft 1Z4 together with the series of cams 126 which are mounted thereon. After the series of cams 126 have turned approximately with the pivotal traverse of the arms 48 and 50, cam 143 (see Figures 6 and 7) closes adjacent limit switch 150 which energizes solenoid 151 of double solenoid air valve 152 on the coiling machine 12 to actuate the air cylinder 153, thereby opening the bending rollers 26, 28, and 30 to form a tail on the coil. As the traverse of the arms 4%; and 5d continues for approximately another 50, cam icloses limit switch 156 to energize solenoid 155 of solenoid air valve 152, thereby reclosing the said bending rollers to their coiling position. The interval between the closing of limit switch 150 to open the bending rollers 26, 23, and 3d and the closing of limit switch 156 to reclose the bending rollers is timed to enable the tail of the coil C to pass through the said bending rollers without being coiled. 7

As the arms 48 and 50 are traversed through approxiof arcuate movement, earn 158 closes limit switch 160 to energize solenoid 157 of the solenoid air valve 137 which actuates air cylinders 84 and 86 to retract spindles 8i and 82. Since relay 159 is still energizing solenoid 149 of valve 137, the effect of solenoids 149 and 157 is momentarily to counter-balance'each other. However, at approximately 194 of arcuate travel, limit switch 166 is actuated by cam 1nd which sequentially deenergizes relays 145 and 159 and solenoid 149 of valve 137, to enable spindles 8b and $2 to retract. The retraction of spindles $61 and 82 disengages the traversed arms 48 and 519 from the coil C and deposits the coil on the conveyor 38;

As the spindles 8'9 and 82 are retracted, limit switches 136 are tripped and limit switches 134 are cocked (see Figures 5 and 7) thereby indicating that the spindles have been fully returned and are free of the coil. At this phase of the cycle, upward movement of the arms 43 and 51) would be stopped if the spindles were not retracted sufiiciently to trip the limit switches 136. Thus, the function of the limit switches 136 is permissive in permitting the arms 48 and 50 to return to their initial position if the spindles 8d and 82 are completely disengaged from the coil. The tripping of limit switches 136 deenergizes the solenoid 161 of solenoid hydraulic valve 147, enabling the aforesaid valve spring return to operate valve 147 in actuating the traversing cylinder 108. The traversing cylinder 108 then operates the traversing gear and rack mechanism 102 and 1%, thereby returning the arms 48 and 50 to their initial position. Actuation of limit switches 136 also energizes a suitable circuit (not shown) adapted to index the conveyor forwardly approximately six feet. Thus a space on the conveyor is cleared for the next coil and the coil transferring arms iii-and 50 are returned above the coiling machine ready to engage the next coil responsive to the position of its approaching tail portion. The overall control circuit described hereinabove is energized and de-energized by switch means well understood by those skilled in the art.

From the foregoing it will be evident that the invention set forth hereinabove provides an improved, fully automatic and fool-proof coil transfer mechanism which will safely and efficiently transfer finished coils from a coiling machine without damage to the coils. It is to be understood, however, that while only one embodiment of the invention is shown herein, this embodiment is by way of example only and is not to be construed in a limiting sense. Other arrangements and modifications will. occur 6 to those skilled in the art and may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim: 7

1. In a coil transferring mechanism, a pair of opposed coil transferring arms pivotally mounted on a coiling machine for movement about a horizontal axis, coil engaging spindles mounted onthe free ends of said arms, means for swinging said arms in an arcuate path between a receiving station and a discharging station, means to engage said coil with said spindles at the said receiving station responsive to a predetermined position of the tail of said coil, and means for disengaging said spindles from said coil responsive to a predetermined position of said arms in said arcuate path.

2. Apparatus for unloading a coil of strip material from a coiling machine having bending rolls comprising a pair of coil transferring arms, brackets secured on opposite sides of the coiling machine, a shaft rotatably journaled in said brackets for rotation about a horizontal axis transverse to the coiling machine, the lower ends of said arms being secured to said shaft for rotational movement therewith and transverse movement relative thereto, means for traversing in unison said arms transversely on said shaft in equal and opposite directions, a gear secured to one end of said shaft, a rack adapted to engage said gear, meansto reciprocate said rack, a pair of opposed reciprocable spindles carried in the free ends of said arms for equal and opposite movement parallel to said shaft axis, means to extend said spindles inwardly to engage a coil cradled 011 said coiling machine, a cam shaft in axial alignment with and integrally secured to said first mentioned shaft, a series of cam discs carried on said cam shaft, an equal series of limit switches supported on bracket means in operable contact with said cam discs, said cam discs being angularly staggered on said camshaft to engagea'nd operate said limit switches in sequential predetermined order, the first engaged of said limit switches actuating the opening of the bending rolls of said coiling machine, the second engaged of said limit switches actuating the closing of the said bending rolls, and the third engaged of said limit switches actuating the retracting of the said spindles from said coil, thereby disengaging and depositing said coil.

, 3. Apparatus for unloading a coil of strip material from a coiling machine having bending rolls comprising a pair of coil transferring arms, brackets secured on opposite sides of the coilingmachine, a shaft rotatably journaled in said brackets for rotation about a horizontal axis transverse to the coiling machine, the lower ends of said arms being secured to said shaft for rotational movement therewith and transverse movement relative thereto, means for traversing in unison said arms transversely on said shaft in equal and opposite directions, a gear secured to one end of said shaft, a rack adapted to engage said gear, means to reciprocate said rack, a pair of opposed reciprocable spindles carried in the free ends of said arms for equal and opposite movement parallel to said shaft axis, and means to extend said spindles inwardly to engage a coil cradled on said coiling machine, said means to extend said spindles comprising power cylinders secured thereto and actuated by photoelectric means mounted adjacent to the coiling machine and positioned to be responsive to the passing thereby of the tail portion of the coil.

4. Apparatus for unloading a coil of strip material from a coiling machine having bending rolls comprising a pair of coil transferring arms, brackets secured on opposite sides of the coiling machine, a shaft rotatably journaled in said brackets for rotation about a horizontal axis transverse to the coiling machine, the lower ends of said arms being secured to said shaft for rotational movement therewith and transverse movement relative thereto, means for traversing in unison said arms transversely on said shaft in equal and opposite directions, a gear secured to one end of said shaft, a rack adapted to engage said gear, means to reciprocate said rack, a pair of opposed recip- 7 rocable spindles carried in the free ends' of said arms for equal and opposite movement parallel to said shaft axis, and means to extend said spindles inwardly to engage a coil cradled on said coiling machine, and permissive limit arms being secured to said shaft for rotational movement therewith and transverse movement relative thereto, means for traversing in unison said arms transversely on sa1d shaft in equal and opposite directions, a gear secured to one end of said shaft, a rack adapted to engage said gear,

means to reciprocate said rack, a pair of opposed reciprocable spindles carried in the free ends of said arms for equal and opposite movement parallel to said shaft axis, and means to extend said spindles inwardly to engage a coil cradled on said coiling machine, and permissive limit switches mounted on said arms in tripping contact with .said spindles, said limit switches being tripped by said spindles only when fully retracted, whereby said rack and gear means are actuated by said tripped limit switches to return said arms to a coil engaging position.

6. Apparatus for unloading a coil of strip material from a coiling machine having bending rolls comprising a pair of coil transferring arms, brackets secured on opposite sides of the coiling machine, a shaft rotatably journaled in said brackets for rotation about a horizontal axis transverse to the coiling machine, the lower ends of said arms being secured to said shaft for rotational movement therewith and transverse movement relative thereto, means for traversing in unison said arms transversely on said shaft in equal and opposite directions, a gear secured to one end of said shaft, a rack adapted to engage said gear, means to reciprocate said rack, a pair of opposed reciprocable spindles carried in the free ends of said arms for equal and opposite movement parallel to said'shaft axis, and means to extend said spindles inwardly to engage a coil cradled on said coiling machine, and pairs of permissive limit switches carried on said arms in tripping contact with said spindles, the first pair of said limit switches being tripped when the said spindles are fully extended 'to engage a coil, said tripping being a prerequisite to actuating said rack reciprocating means to pivot said :arms

forwardly. away from said coiling machine, and the second pair of. said limit switches being tripped when the said spindles are fully retracted, said tripping of said second pair of limit switches being a prerequisite to actuating said rack reciprocating means which pivots said arms rearwardly toward a .coil engaging position, whereby the movement of the said spindles to trip one pair of switches automatically cocks the other pair of switches.

.7. In apparatus for unloading a coil from a coiling machine having bending rolls, a pair of opposed coil transferring arms secured on opposite sides of the coiling machine for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, reciprocable coil engaging spindles mounted on the free ends of said arms, means for traversing said arms in an "arcuate path from a coil supporting station on said coiling machine to a discharging station remote therefrom, pneumatic power cylinder means for extending said spindles into the core of said coil from opposite sides when said arms are positioned adjacent said coil supporting station on said upcoiler, saidspindle extending means being energized by photoelectric means responsive to the position of the tail of said coil when approaching said coiling -machine, a first pair of limit switches tripped by the coil engaging movement of said spindles to energize said arm traversing means, a second pair of limit switches cocked by the coil engaging movement of said spindles, said first -pair of limit switches being operable only if said second pair of limit switches are fully cocked, a camshaft rotatablymounted to turn with said arms about said horizontal .axis, a first cam on said camshaft adapted to operate a .limit switch-to open said coiling machine bending rolls as said arms begin to traverse from said coil supporting station, a second cam on said camshaft adapted to operate a limit switch to close said coiling machine bending rolls when said arms reach a predetermined position in the said traverse, a third cam on said camshaft adapted to operate a limit switch for re-energizing said pneumatic cylinders to retract said spindles, said retraction of said spindles tripping said second pair of limit switches and recocking said first pair of limit switches, whereby said arm traversing means is re-energized to return said arms to the said coil supporting station ready for another cycle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,176,761 Fisher et al. Oct. 17, 1939 2,325,121 Freeman July 27, 1943 2,571,947 Russell Oct. 16, 1951 2,623,649 Rowe Dec. 30, 1952 

